Introduction
We understand that transparency and certainty about legal costs is just as important as providing pragmatic and succinct advice with excellent response times.
We pride ourselves on being open and transparent on costs from an initial enquiry to a successful conclusion. We also regularly benchmark our costs against our local competitors.
We are required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority Transparency Rules to publish information on the cost of Residential property purchases, sales, and remortgages.
Our Services
The services the residential conveyancing team offers are as follows:
- Purchasing freehold and leasehold residential property
- Selling freehold and leasehold residential property
For an estimate of the costs involved in the above services you can use our conveyancing calculator, however please note that you will need to contact the team for a formal estimate of costs as there are likely to be a number of factors which could affect the cost of your transaction.
- Remortgages on residential leasehold and freehold property.
For an estimate of the costs involved in the above services click here.
We also offer specialist services such as:
- Residential development and re-development including plot sales of freehold and leasehold newly built or converted properties;
- Property transfers following death or relationship breakdown;
- Documenting beneficial interests in jointly owned property;
- First registration of residential property;
- Lease extensions;
- Technical property law advice e.g. easements and covenant.
Please contact a member of the residential conveyancing team to get a tailored fee estimate for the above services
Our costs:
We shall charge for our work as detailed below, however if any additional works becomes which is outside of our Scope of Works, we will let you know and will discuss with you the likely additional costs involved. Please note that all figures are quoted exclusive of VAT (which is charged at 20%).
Purchasing freehold and leasehold residential property
This quotation provided by our conveyancing calculator is an estimate of costs only and is based on the following assumptions:
- Any mortgage you have or intend to have is with a lender who is a member of the Council of Mortgage Lenders or the Building Society Association who will also instruct us;
- The property has a single registered title;
- You are buying the whole title already registered at the Land Registry;
- The property is not a new build;
- If the property is leasehold, that the lease is legally acceptable and does not require changing nor do you require a lease extension;
- The use of the land is 100% residential;
- The property is located in England;
- You are not buying the property in the name of a company (if this is the case then the Stamp Duty Land Tax may be different).
Our fee estimates include:
- investigating title to the Purchase Property;
- requesting and reviewing standard conveyancing searches together with any appropriate additional searches;
- providing a legal report to you on the Purchase Property;
- where applicable, accepting instructions to act for your mortgage lender and arranging to draw down mortgage funds in readiness for completion;
- reviewing and negotiating the purchase contract and dealing with exchange of contracts;
- receiving completion monies from you (including stamp duty land tax) and completing the purchase;
- preparing and filing the stamp duty land tax return (SDLT)* and arranging payment to H M Revenue and Customs; and
- registering your ownership of the Purchase Property at the Land Registry.
Our fee estimates do not include:
- any matters to do with the condition or value of the Purchase Property;
- any advice on the availability of reliefs for SDLT (e.g. multiple dwellings relief) or on any liability to pay higher rates of SDLT (e.g. purchase of additional residential property) ;
- any advice on planning or environmental issues beyond the information revealed by our pre-contract searches and in standard pre-contract enquiries;
- any matter only discoverable by investigating adjoining or nearby properties;
- any advice on the commercial terms of your mortgage and your ability to meet any mortgage payments now or in the future;
- any advice on the commercial terms of your mortgage and your ability to meet any mortgage payments now or in the future;
- the tax implications of your Transaction in particular any capital gains tax consequences.
The stages in a purchase of residential property vary according to the circumstances. For a more detailed description of the buyer process, please follow Buyers Guide.
⃰ This is a tax payable to the Government which is charged when you buy a property. The exact amount of tax you will pay will depend on how much you are paying for the property and also your own personal circumstances.
Selling leasehold and freehold residential property:
This quotation provided by our conveyancing calculator is an estimate of costs only and is based on the following assumptions:
- Any mortgage you have, and which needs to be repaid is a lender who is a member of the Council of Mortgage Lenders or the Building Society Association;
- The property has a single registered title;
- You are selling the whole title already registered at the Land Registry;
- If the property is leasehold, that the lease is legally acceptable and does not require changing nor do you require a lease extension;
- The use of the land is 100% residential.
Our fee estimate include:
- investigating title to the Sale Property in order to draft the contract and supporting paperwork;
- negotiating the sale contract;
- responding to the buyer’s pre-contract enquiries;
- dealing with exchange of contracts;
- completing the sale of the Sale Property;
- dealing with the redemption of your mortgage (where applicable).
Our fee estimates do not include:
- any advice in relation to the valuation of the Sale Property ;
- any advice or negotiations on detailed planning or environmental issues;
- the completion of the Property Information Form and the Fixtures and Fittings form which is your sole responsibility;
- the accuracy of any redemption statement in relation to your mortgage which you must check;
- the tax implications of your Transaction in particular any capital gains tax consequences.
For a more detailed description of the sellers process, please follow Sellers Guide.
Timescales
Once instructed, we will endeavour to provide you with details of the timescales at the outset. The average timescale for conveyancing transactions is 8-12 weeks, there are many factors that can affect this time from acceptance of offer to exchange of contracts and completion. Some issues can that cause delay include Leasehold purchases, long and complicated chain of transactions, probate properties, searches, and planning permissions.
Next steps
The above information is naturally generic in nature. Please do contact us directly so we can discuss our assistance with your conveyancing matter at which stage we will be able to provide you with a more detailed and tailored fee estimate depending on the nature of your transaction.